Tornado Outbreak Eyes Deep South, Southeast

The year is gearing up to go out with a bang, with a severe multi-day threat likely to sweep across the Deep South and Southeast this weekend.

Although the calendar reads late December, the ingredients that come together across the region are more typical of February or March.

An area of ​​low pressure will quickly slide northeast from the Mid-South into the Ohio Valley today, pulling copious amounts of Gulf moisture north into the Deep South and Upper Tennessee Valley. The low cold front will deliver a punch of cool and drier air from the Plains and Rockies. The result will be a dangerous mixing of the atmosphere, leading to severe to severe thunderstorms from Texas to Alabama.

The biggest threat today will be found from central Louisiana across the Mississippi into western Alabama, where several tornadoes are likely, including some that could be particularly strong, as well as 65 to 75 mph winds and hail the size of baseballs. The threat is significant enough for the National Storm Prediction Center to consider it a Moderate risk for severe thunderstorms. Cities at risk for these powerful storms include Alexandria, La., Greenville and Jackson, Miss., and Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Surrounding this core of severe storms will be a large area of ​​severe thunderstorms developing over eastern Texas and expanding across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as the evening progresses. Here, the Storm Prediction Center has placed one Increased risk and small risk for severe thunderstorms. This includes Houston, New Orleans and Shreveport, La., and Mobile and Birmingham, Ala. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph and a few tornadoes are the primary threats here.

ONETornado Watch were issued for parts of eastern Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, including Tallahassee and Pensacola, Fla., Montgomery, Ala., and Atlanta, Macon and Albany, Ga.,

Unfortunately for most people’s holiday weekend plans, inclement weather will dampen spirits as storm systems drench the northwest and eastern half of the nation.

The storm threat will continue into Sunday as the storm and its cold front move toward the eastern seaboard. With plenty of warm air in place over the Carolinas and Georgia, severe thunderstorms will be possible in cities such as Atlanta, Savannah and Macon, Ga., Columbia, Charleston and Greenville, SC, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, and Roanoke, Va. A few rumbles of thunder could be found as far north as Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Washington, DC. The Storm Prediction Center has already issued one Little risk for severe storms Sunday from eastern Alabama and Georgia north to central Virgina.


Even if it’s late December, remember what to do in severe weather and have a plan to get to your safe place even at night. If you are visiting friends or family in the threatened area, try to familiarize yourself with the best place to go during a tornado. Know the difference between a watch and a warning and follow the storm threat on WeatherBug all weekend.